Crossroads
by Listelia
Summary: Seven years before, that day...


Night was falling, haloing the cold room with a golden light, when Tae-yeon's tears finally stopped streaming.

His back hurt and his knees were numbed after staying so long on the tiled floor of the mortuary.

He got up, swayed, leaned a moment on the tablet where rested the body.

He was exhausted.

He wiped his face with the back of his hand, rubbed his burning eyes. Slowly put back the sheet on his sister's face, after touching her cheek one last time, then pushed the drawer and closed the ice-cold metal door.

His mind was empty. Lost.

He didn't really know where to go, after that.

There was the sound of rolling weels outside, voices. He stumbled out of the room.

- "_Aigoo_, this world is crazy…"

- "Two in the same month, and their poor families… and two orphans…"

Whispers came from the entrance of the mortuary - distant, soft.

They had just brought another body, in the next room. He passed in front of the door, stopped almost unwillingly to observe the forensics who were putting the corpse in a compartment.

_A woman._

Somebody shot him a look. He swallowed his sorrow, put his hands in his pockets to try to appear composed, stepped towards the exit.

He heard a snigger behind him and quivered, startled.

He turned around.

There was a young man at the end of the corridor, leaning against the wall, his arms crossed.

He was laughing like a madman.

_A laughter that hurt._

Tae-yeon watched him a few minutes, feeling the stranger's pain like an echo of his own.

The man wore a leather jacket and black jeans, chewed gum while staring at the ground, disraught. He wasn't much older than Tae-yeon, hardly four or five years older, maybe.

He had sharp features, merciless, that would have been beautiful if they had not been showing so much ferocity.

Then the mask broke off, and the stranger buried his face in his hands.

For a few seconds, the corridor was silent, then the young man let go of a suffocated sob.

Tae-yeon turned his head away.

He went back up the corridor, slowly.

The stranger with the crazy laugh suffered just like him, unable to contain his despair, like a broken-hearted child…

Both women at the front desk gave him a compassionate look.

He hesitated, then approached the counter.

- "You've already signed everything, Prosecutor Min", said the youngest, friendly.

The other one, a big woman with enormous breast, cramped in her hospital blouse, tilted her head and slide towards him the mint candies' basket.

He was well known, over here.

The prosecutor with the gentle smile, who never was in too much of a hurry. Always available to chat a moment, to listen to your story, to find the light teasing that cheered you up.

Everybody loved him and the tragedy that had struck him had saddened all divisions.

He shook this head.

- "No, thank you. Excuse me… who…who has just arrived?"

They exchanged a look.

- "The tape murder victim, from the _Hills_ motel, y'know. The second one. The Newspapers are full of it."

He glanced over his shoulder, to the end of the corridor.

- "And the man who's there, who is it?"

The big woman nodded sadly.

- "Her fiancé, Yeo Ji-Hoon. The chewing gum detective. They say he was the serial killer expert and that they made him come especially for the investigation. And now…"

The girl tidied the pile of documents she was holding on the edge of the counter and leaned forward.

- "But I wouldn't want to be the criminal, in any case! D'you know what's his nickname?" she whispered, with wide eyes. "The Monster… he's probably going to take his revenge…"

An ice-cold shiver ran down Tae-yeon's spine.

_Revenge._

He didn't know how he was going to live from now on.

How could you face tomorrow, and the day after, knowing you would never hear again your loved one's laughter? That you would not anymore see her hair dancing in the breeze? That she would never come running to you again, with sparkling eyes, full of life…?

_"Oppa, don't forget to pick me up at the hospital, okay? I'll wait for you!"_

He closed his eyes, feeling the pain overwhelming him once again.

When he reopened them, both women were pretending not to look at him and were glancing at him with compassion.

He tried to smile - failed.

- "I'll be on my way", he said. "Goodbye, Ladies…"

He felt the man's presence behind him.

- "I've come to sign the usual stuff", said Yeo Ji-Hoon, putting his hands on the counter.

He was still chewing his gum and a sarcastic grin was folded in the corner of his mouth.

But Tae-yeon saw his fingers trembled.

The man filled the forms in silence, then tore away a handkerchief from the box.

He spat his chewing-gum, crushed it in the tissue and made a ball which he threw in the trash can.

- "Thank you", he said briefly.

He stepped towards the door, then changed his mind. His hand settled abruptly on Tae-yeon's shoulder, almost with violence.

His wolf eyes dived into the young prosecutor's cat eyes.

For a moment, there was nothing else in the world.

_Only this intense, cruel, and dark stare._

Tae-yeon shivered.

_The young man's soul dived into his soul, ice-cold._

He heard a heart beat, weak, very far - almost dead.

He wasn't sure whether it was his or not.

Yeo Ji-Hoon smiled - and behind this bitter smile was an immense pain.

- "Good hunting", he said.

Then he left the building with long strides.

- "Brrr…" murmured the youngest desk lady. " He's more frightening in real life than the rumors say…"

- He's _gloomy_. Even with what he's going through, this is too much", stammered the big woman, still shocked.

Tae-yeon put his hand on the counter, relief to feel the cold contact waking him.

He had the impression he had been very far.

- "Good bye, he said absently, before leaving the mortuary as well, followed by the puzzled look of both women.

It was already dark, outside.

It was certainly going to snow.

Tae-yeon zipped up his jacket. His breath smoked in the streetlights' halo.

He still felt his heart beating.

Slowly, the dull sound slowed down, until only silence resounded deep in him.

Then he knew.

_He would find his sister's murderer, and he would make him pay._

The next day, he bought a leather jacket, and from this day fowards, people did not dare to talk about prosecutor Min without fear.

But for a few years still, when he went to the mortuary during an investigation, Tae-yeon stopped at the front desk, just the time to accept a mint candy.


End file.
